Mechanism for extracting defective



. March 9, 1943. J R NOLAN MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING DEFECTIVE BOOKASSEMBLIES FROM MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Aug 2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheetl JO w m March 9, 1943.-

. MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING DEFECTIVE BOOK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ASSEMBLIESFROM MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 2, 1941 March 9, 1943.

J. R. NOLAN 2,313,451 MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING'DEFECTIVE BOOK ASSEMBLIESFROM MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 9,1943. J R NOLAN 2,3135'451 MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING DEFECTIVE BOOKASSEMBLIES FROM MATCH BOOKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 2, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet4 March 9, 1943. J. R. NOLAN 2,313,451

MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING DEFECTIVE BOOK ASSEMBLIES FROM MATCH BOOKINGMACHINES Filed Aug. 2, 1941 5' Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 9, 1943MECHANISM FOR EXTRACTING DEFECTIVE BOOK ASSEMBLIES FROM MATCH BOOK- INGMACHINES John R.Nolan, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to The I Diamond MatchCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August2, 1941, Serial No. 405,170

6 Claims. (Cl. 209-88) This invention relates to mechanism forextracting incomplete or defective match book assemblies from a machinefor booking matches, and more particularly from a machine of the typedisclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,042,472, datedOctober 29, 1912. The machine forming the subject of the patentmentioned comprises a carrier consisting of an endless chain of pocketedlinks (each embodying a resilient clamping member) constructed andarranged for intermittent movement along an extended path in which areincluded in succeeding order mechanism whereby fiat covers for matchbooks are folded at one end and inserted in the adjacent links ofthe'carrier in such manner that the folds project rearwardly of, and thebodies of the covers are clamped in, the links; mechanism wherebyconventional match cards are pushed flatwise into the respective linkswith the bases of the cards within the end folds of the covers, thematch cards thus being yieldingly clamped against the bodies of therespective covers; mechanism whereby the associated cards and covers arestitched or otherwise fastened} together while they are borne by thecarrier, and mechanism whereby friction paint material is applied to theexterior of the respective covers during their travel, all as will morefully appear by reference to said patent.

In the absence of a cover from a carrier link when'the link passes fromthe cover-inserting station, or in the absence from the link of a matchcard, or cards, when the link leaves the card-inserting station, or inthe event of the failure of the stitcher properly to fasten theassembled book'elements presented thereto by the link, then in any suchcase the link progresses to the friction-material applying mechanism,thence to other mechanisms included in the match making'cycle; thusrequiring removal of the defective contents of the link, and sometimesthe temporary stopping of the machine. Since the booking machineoperates at high speed its repeated stopping materially reduces theout-put of the machine in anextended run.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is the provision of adetector station comprising mechanism of simple and eflicientconstruction and operation whereby match assemblies having varyingimperfections are rapidly extracted from the carrier during theoperation of the booking machine, and this without interference with theproperly assembled and fastened covers and cards borne by the carrier,which mechanism is conveniently located between the stitching andpainting mechanisms. I i' With this object in view,.and others thatwillbe apparent or will be presently indicated, my inventioncomprisesnovel' features of construction and combinations of parts whichin exemplifying forms of embodiment of my inventionwill be hereinafterdescribed; the scope of the invention being expressed in" the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Figure l is a transverse vertical section through thetrough extension and the carrier therein of a booking machine, showinginside elevation mechanism embodying my invention,

stroke immediately following thedetection ofan incomplete assembly, andbeing indicated in dotted lines at the end of its preceding forwardstroke when the switch was closed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism.-

shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the trough ex-L tension and thecarrier therein, showing a complete book assembly in'the carrier andtherelation of the detector member to the assembly.

Fig. 4A shows an assembly in which the end fold of the cover has notbeen fastened to the accompanying match cards; Fig.4]; shows a coverfrom which a card has been omitted. Fig.

4C shows a folded and fastened cover from which both cards have beenomitted. Fig. 4D shows both cards from which a cover has been omitted.

'Fig. 5 is a plan of the mechanism shown. in.

Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a transverse horizontal section, as on the line 5-6 ofFig. 1, the discharge chute being omitted for clearness.

Fig. '7 is a transverse vertical section of cam shaft hearings onthecarriage for the gripper, showing the shaft, a cam thereon forclosing the gripper, and an actuating arm for the shaft, as on the linel-'l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a vertical'section as on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, showing thehub of said actuating arm and a limiting stop therefor.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the trough extension in a plane infront of the detector mechanism, as on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1, butshowing the detector in partially raised position and restrained by itscontact with the opposing end fold of a complete book assembly and withthe normally-open switch unaffected.

Fig. 10 is a similar view, but showing the detector farther raised andin contact with the opposing base of a match card of a defective bookassembly in which the cover fold is pendant and unfastened, the switchbeing in closed position.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but showing the detector stillfarther raised and in contact with the opposing base of a match card ofan incomplete book assembly in which the cover is absent, the switchbeing closed.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section, as on the line i2l2 of Fig.11.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a part of the'trough extensionof a typical match booking machine; IS a portion of the intermittentlyactuated carrier which is mounted to travel in said extension. Thecarrier comprises an endless chain of pocketed links each including abase H with parallel side walls I8 having inwardly overhanging flangesl9, and embodying also a spring clamping leaf 20 which is secured at oneend to the base and inclined upwardly and rearwardly so that the freeupper end of the leaf coacts with the under surfaces of the flanges.

During each dwell of the carrier in its intermittent travel a cover E,folded at one end, is inserted in a carrier link, with the folded end Iprojecting rearwardly beyond the link while the body of the cover isyieldingly clamped against the flanges 19 by the spring leaf 20. Theprotruding hinged fold, which is relatively stiff, bears yieldingly uponand is supported by the rearward wall of the trough. In the continuedtravel of the carrier the thus end-folded cover is presented tomechanism whereby match cards M are inserted in the link which waspreviously located at the cover-inserting mechanism. The cards arepushed between the spring leaf and the under surface of the cover sothat the uncut bases of the cards are within the confines of thefoldedend of the cover. Usually two counterpart cards of matches, one cardsuperposed on the other, are inserted in each link. In the continuedprogress of the carrier 16 the assembled book elements clamped thereinare transported to stitching'mechanism; thence (if not pre-frictioned)to friction paint-applying mechanism; thence to the succeeding stationsin the book making cycle, as usual.

Mechanism located at the detector station embodying the principle of myinvention for selecting and bodily extracting from the carrier linksbook assemblies having variable imperfections, is

mounted laterally adjacent a determined portion of the path of thecarrier, preferably immediately following the stitching station, aneflicient form of which niechanisrnwill now be described Bolted to theunderside of the trough i5 is a frame forming bracket 2| having spacedrearwardly projecting supporting members 22 provided with guide bars 23in and between which a head 24, constituting a carriage, is mounted forhorizontal movement toward and from the adjacent side of the carrier.This head is equipped with a suitable gripper, which, in the presentinstance, comprises a lever pivoted, as at 25, in and between lugs26 ofa base plate 2! attached to the upper surface of the head. The

lever. The latter arm underlies and abuts a cam or wiper 3| fast on across-shaft 32 having its bearings in spaced upstanding lugs 33 on thebase plate. Fast also on one end of the shaft 32 is a depending arm 34by the forcible swinging of which in a clockwise, or counter-clockwise,direction the cam is actuated either to depress the opposing lever arm30, and thus open the gripper jaw, or to release the arm to permit thejaw to resume its closed or gripping condition.

The nose of the cam is rounded so that slight movement of the arm 34 inone direction, when the head is near the limit of its forward stroke,effects the release of the opposinglever arm 30, and so that when thehead is near the limit of its back stroke sufiicient movement of the arm30 in the opposite direction causes the cam to pass slightly beyond asubstantially vertical line extending through the axis of the shaft 32,thus opening and temporarily locking the gripper lever against the forceof the spring.

To swing the actuating arm 34 as the head approaches the respectivelimits of its stroke, suitably spaced abutments 35 and 36 for said armare conveniently fixed to the adjacent guide bar 23 for the head 24. Theabutment 35 is positioned to intercept the lower portion of the arm 34when the head with the open gripper is at the limit of'its forwardstroke, and the abutment 36 is located to intercept the arm when thehead with the closed gripper approaches the limit of its back stroke.The abutment 35 trips the actuating arm 3 1, and therewith the cam,preparatory to the gripping of the basal end of the contents of a link,and the abutment 36 swings the arm downwardly and forwardly a sufiicientdistance in respect to the moving head to force the nose of the camagainst andin locking relation to the lever arm 34, as previouslymentioned. To limit the throw of the actuating arm the bearing in thebase lug 33 for the end of the shaft 32 to which the hub of the arm issecured, has thereon an extension having a stud 340 that freely enters asuitably-disposed arcuate recess 34| in the hub. (Figs. 7 and 8.)

The head 24 has a depending lug 31 which is pivotally connected bymeans, for example, of a link 33 with the upstanding longer arm 39 of abell-crank which is loosely mounted on a shaft 40 supported by andbetween a pair of suitablydisposed brackets 4| on the floor 42 of asubstantial frame structure depending from the stationary guide bracket2|. The shorter arm 43 of the bell-crank is pivotally connected by meansof a link 44 with the core 45 of a solenoid 46 included in an electriccircuit 41, which solenoid is conveniently mounted on the floor 42 ofthe structure. Included also in the electric circuit is asuitably-disposed switch 48, preferably of the mercury type.

When the switch is in its downwardly inclined position, with the circuitcompleted, the solenoid is energized, thus projecting the core 45 andswinging the bell crank in a manner to move the head 24 toward thecarrier of the booking machine, and when the switch is oppositelyinclined to break the circuit the head is returned to its normal oroutward position by the retractive force of a torsion spring 49encircling the shaft and having its respective ends secured to the arm39 and one of the stationary brackets 4|. (See Figs. 1 and 6.)

' In the present instance the switch 48 is supported by the longer arm50 of a lever which is fulcrumed, as at 5!, on a face plate 52 securedto the frame structure. The shorter arm 54 of the lever is looselypivoted to the longer arm 55 of a lever which is fulcrumed at 56 on theface plate, a weight 51 on the latter arm maintaining it normally in anangular position effective to insure the inclined circuit-breakingposition of the switch bearing lever 59, as seen in Figs. 2 and 9. Alsopivoted to the face plate, as at 58, is a rock lever 59 which is locatedabove and longitudinally of the lever 55. The longer arm of the rocklever overhangs a laterally projecting stud 69 on the shorter arm 6| ofthe lever 55, and the shorter arm of the rock lever is provided with alateral stud 62 which overhangs a tappet 63 on a verticallyreciprocating rod 64 constituting a detector member. Hence, by slightlyraising the rod a determined distance, the shorter arm of the rock lever59 is correspondingly raised, and as a result the motion is amplifiedand transmitted through the levers 55 and 50 to the switch may be nicelyadjusted vertically thereon by proper manipulation of a nut 65 threadedon the lower end of the rod. To fix the collar in its position ofadjustment it is provided with a setscrew 66. As illustrated the body ofthe rod 64 is slidable in forward guide brackets 61 fixed to I the faceof a slide plate 68 which is fitted for short vertical motion inparallel guideways 69 provided by the Wall 53 of the depending framestructure, the rod 64 being resiliently supported by a spring 19 which,encircling the rod, bears against the upper guide bracket 61 and aspaced collar H fast on the rod. An additional guide bracket 12 for thelower end of the rod is secured to the face plate 52. The upper end ofthis rod extends adjacent the rear of the carrier and directly under thepath of the projecting ends of the contents of the carrier links.

The slide 68 together with the associated resiliently supported rod 64,is vertically reciprocated during each dwell of the carrier, the upperend of the rod in its upward stroke abutting an opposing sur-face of thebook element in the adjacent link and being thereby restrained againstthe compression of the spring 19 during the continued movement of theslide. Thus the extent of upward movement of the rod depends upon thenature or condition of the book element opposed thereto, as willpresently appear. A stationary angle piece 13 conveniently bolted on theinner ends of the guide bars 23 for the gripper carriage 24 overlies theprojecting end of each book assembly in the detector zone, thus servingas a backer and guide to prevent displacement of the assembly. A flaringextension 14 at the entry end of the vertical member of the angle piececontributes to the proper location of the assembly.

The means herein shown for reciprocating the detector rod 64 in timedrelation to the carrier elements.

comprises a face cam 15 fast on a transverse shaft 16 which is journaledin suitably disposed bearings 11 supported on the floor 42 of thedepending frame structure, and which shaft is operatively connected bysprocket or other gearing to an adjacent driven shaft of the bookingmachine. Fixed to the slide plate 66 is a depending bar 18 having at itslower end a lateral roll 19 which is operatively fitted in the race ofthe cam 15. The contour of the race is such as to effect a short risingand falling motion of the bar and the slide during each interval of restof the carrier, the throw of the cam being such that when the slide isin its extreme down position the upper end of the detector rod isslightly below the horizontal plane of the protruding .portions of theproperly assembled and fastened book elements in the carrier, thusallowing the free passage of the assembly to its position above the rod.At the same time the collar 63 at the foot of the rod is slightly belowthe stud 62 on the adjacent end of the rock lever 59. (See Figs. 1 and2.) Hence the rod 64 in the initial upward movement of the slide abutsthe opposing cover fold of the book assembly as seen in Fig. 3, and isthereby restrained, and with the collar 63 in ineffective contact withthe stud 62 of the overlying rock lever 59, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2,while the slide continues its upward movement in opposition to thespring 19, as seen in Fig. 9.' Consequently the switch remains open andas a result the retracted gripper is idle during the continuance of thereciprocating movement of the slide. If, however, a card has beenomitted from a cover contained in the link, as seen in Fig. 4B, or ifthe two cards have been inserted and the cover omitted, then in eachcase the rod 64 moves slightly higher before it is interrupted by theopposing card, thus causing the collar 63 in its increased ascent topress upwardly the opposing stud 62 on the shorter arm of the lever 59and thereby actuate the transmitting levers 54 and 56 in a manner to tipthe switch to its circuit closing position, as seen in Fig. 10.coincidentally, the solenoid is energized and the gripper carriage byvirtue of its bell-crank connection with the solenoid core, is projectedtoward'the carrier. As the carriage reaches the limit of its forwardstroke the gripper thereon, being open as previously described, embracesthe projecting margin of the faulty book assembly held in its path bythe carrier link; the gripper lever, being released, clamps the assemblyalong the margin, and, the electric circuit being broken and thesolenoid deenergized, the spring 49, assisted by the weight of thesolenoid core, sharply retracts the incomplete or defective bookassembly from the carrier. Since the gripper is opened by the contact ofits actuating arm 34 with the abutment 36 as the carriage approaches thelimit of its rearward stroke, the faulty assembly is released.

and thus permitted at once to gravitate through the space between thesupporting members 22 of the bracket 2|, thence into a suitably-dis oseddischarge chute 86. The open gripper remains n retracted or idleposition until the reciprocatng detector rod 64 again. encounters theopposing card of a faulty assembly contained in the carrier link at thebacker 13, whereupon the effective action of the gripper in respect tosuch assembly is repeated, and so on during the continued operation ofthe booking machine, without interfering with the properly assembled andbound covers and cards constituting the book In case a single cardwithout a cover,"

or a cover without a card or cards is presented to the detector rod thefull upward movement of such rod by and with the slide 68 is notaffected, and therefore the collar 63 in its ascent presses the opposingstud 62 of the lever and thereby actuates the transmitting levers to tipthe switch to circuit closing position to effect the exraction of suchcard or cover from the link.

It sometimes happens that a carrier link is empty when it is advanced tothe detector zone, in which case the resilient detector rod beingunobstructed in its upward stroke, effects the operation of the switch,the gripper thus idly reciprocating toward and from the carrier.

I have herein described a detecting and extracting unit embodying myinvention as applied to a booking machine wherein the carrier is movedstep-by-step a sufi'icient distance to position each succeeding link atthe cover, card and staple stations of the machine, but in the case of amachine in which each movement of the carrer advances two adjoininglinks to each of the stations, as described in Patent No. 1,042,472aforesaid, an additional similar detecting and extracting unit can bereadily arranged in proper spaced relation to the other unit, say, adistance of two links or a multiple thereof, so as to act in a likemanner upon those book assemblies that escape the first unit.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular exemplifying form thereof herein disclosed, as the mechanismsmay be modified within the principle of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a match-booking machine having a carrier for assembled match cardsand covers, the latter folded at one side of the carrier about the basesof the complementary cards forming a basal extremity extending beyondthe carrier, a detector station for detecting incomplete bookassemblies, comprising a backer member having a face adapted to beengaged by successive basal extremities of the book assemblies as theyare fed through the station, said member mounted laterally of thecarrier, a gripper for engaging the basal extremity of an incomplete ordefective book assembly and bodily extracting such assembly lengthwisefrom the carrier, means for reciprocating said gripper toward and fromthe carrier, means for closing and opening said gripper at the ends ofits forward and rearward strokes, respectively, and means including aresilient detector member movable toward and from the backer member todetect incomplete assemblies, for effecting the operation of saidreciprocating means when the basal end of an incomplete or defectivebook assembly is positioned by the carrier at said detector station.

2. In a Watch-booking machine having a carrier for assembled match cardsand covers, the latter folded at one side of the carrier about the basesof the complementary cards forming a basal extremity extending beyondthe carrier, a detector station for detecting incomplete bookassemblies, comprising a backer member having a face adapted to beengaged by successive basal extremities of the book assemblies as theyare fed through the station, said member mounted laterally of thecarrier, a gripper for engaging the basal extremity of an incomplete ordefective book assembly and bodily extracting such assembly lengthwisefrom the carrier, means including an electro-magnet for moving saidgripper toward and from the carrier, means for closing and opening saidgripper at the ends of its forward and rearward movements, respectively,an electric circuit in which said magnet is included, a normally-openswitch for said circuit, motion transmitting devices for closing saidswitch, a detector arranged in proximity to the path of the gripper andmovable in a plane intersecting the path of travel of the end folds ofthe book assemblies, a support on which said detector is resilientlymounted, and means for reciprocating said support and therewith thedetector toward and from the backer member in timed relation to thecarrier, said detector including a member for actuating saidtransmitting devices when the basal portion of an incomplete ordefective book assembly is positioned by the carrier at said detectorstation.

3. In a match-booking machine having a carrier for assembled match cardsand covers, the latter folded at one side of the carrier about the basesof the complementary cards forming a basal extremity extending beyondthe carrier, a detector station for detecting incomplete bookassemblies, comprising a backer member having a face adapted to beengaged by successive basal extremities of the book assemblies as theyare fed through the station, said member mounted laterally of thecarrier, means including a gripper for engaging the basal extremity ofan incomplete or defective book assembly and bodily extracting suchassembly from the carrier, means including an electro-magnet for movingsaid gripper means toward and from the carrier, means for closing andopening said gripper at the ends of its forward and rearward movements,respectively, an electric circuit in which said magnet is included, anormally-open switch for said circuit, motion transmitting devices forclosing said switch, a detector comprising a longitudinallyreciprocative rod arranged in proximity to the path of the gripper andmovable in a plane intersecting a portion of the path of travel of theend folds of the book assemblies, a support on which said rod isslidably mounted, a spring normally urging said rod toward the path ofthe end folds, and means for reciprocating said support and therewiththe rod toward and from the backer member in timed relation to thecarrier, said rod having a tappet member for actuating said transmittingdevices when the basal portion ofan incomplete or defective bookassembly is positioned by the carrier at said detector station.

4. In a match-booking machine having a carrier for assembled match cardsand covers, the latter folded at one side of the carrier about the basesof the complementary cards forming a basal extremity extending beyondthe carrier, a detector station for detecting incomplete bookassemblies, comprising a backer member having a face adapted to beengaged by successive basal extremities of the book assemblies as theyare fed through the station, said member mounted laterally of thecarrier, means for engaging the basal extremity of an incomplete ordefective book assembly and bodily extracting such assembly from thecarrier, means including an electromagnet for actuating said extractingmeans, an electric circuit in which said magnet is included, anormally-open switch for said circuit, motion transmitting devices forclosing said switch a detector arranged in proximity to the path of theextracting means and movable in a plane intersecting the path of travelof the end folds of thebook assemblies, a support on which said detectoris resiliently mounted, and means for reciprocating said support andtherewith the detector toward and from the backer member in timedrelation to the carrier, said extracting means comprising a carriagemovable toward and from the path of the assembly, a clamping lever onsaid carriage, a spring normally closing said lever, a cam fortemporarily opening the lever against the force of the spring, anactuating member for said cam, which cam and member are mounted with thelever, and abutments for said member near the ends of its forward andrearward strokes, respectively, the rear abutment efiecting the movementof said member and cam to open the lever against the action of thespring, and the forward abutment effecting the movement of said memberand cam to release the lever.

5. In a match-booking machine having a carrier for assembled match cardsand covers, the latter folded at one side of the carrier about the basesof the complementary cards forming a basal extremity extending beyondthe carrier, a detector station for detecting incomplete bookassemblies, comprising a backer member having a face adapted to beengaged by successive basal extremities of the book assemblies as theyare fed through the station, said member mounted laterally of thecarrier, a gripper for engaging the basal extremity of an incomplete ordefective book assembly and bodily extracting such assembly from thecarrier, means including an electro-magnet for moving said grippertoward and from the carrier, means for closing and opening said gripperat the ends of the forward and rearward movements, respectively, anelectric circuit in which said magnet is included, a normallyopen switchfor said circuit, motion transmitting devices for closing said switch, adetector arranged in proximity to the path of the gripper and movable ina plane intersecting the .path of travel of the end folds of the bookassemblies, a support on which said detector is resiliently mounted, andmeans for reciprocating said support and therewith the detector towardand from the backer member in timed relation to the carrier, saiddetector including a member for actuating said transmitting devices whenthe basal portion of an incomplete or defective book assembly ispositioned by the carrier in the path of said detector member, saidtransmitting means comprising a plurality of motion amplifying leversincluding a rocker lever in the path of the actuating member ofthedetector, a lever by which the switch is supported, and means formaintaining said levers normally with the switch in open position.

6. In a match-booking machine wherein the ends of the book elements ofeach assembly project outwardly at one side of the carrier, a detectorstation for detecting incomplete book assemblies, comprising astationary guide and backer overhanging the projecting ends of theassemblies at a portion of their path of travel, a detector membermovable toward and from the backer member, a support on which saidmember is resiliently mounted, means for reciprocating said support andtherewith the detector member in timed relation to the carrier, grippermeans for engaging the basal extremity of an incomplete or defectivebook assembly positioned at the backer and bodily extracting suchassembly from the carrier, and means under the control of the detectormember for actuating said gripper means.

JOHN R. NOLAN.

